Coupling-in device for coupling an electromagnetic wave into a waveguide

Abstract

The invention relates to a coupling-in device (22) for coupling an electromagnetic wave into a waveguide (12), comprising: a carrier (30) which can be connected to an integrated circuit (20) and in and / or on which a signal line (36) for the electromagnetic wave is arranged; a coupling-in structure (34) for coupling the electromagnetic wave from the signal line (36) into the waveguide (12), wherein the coupling-in structure (34) is arranged in and / or on the carrier (30); a magneto-hydraulic-dynamic (MHD) pump (36) which has a chamber (40) filled with an electrically conductive, liquid medium (82); and a non-conductive body (80) which is arranged in the chamber (40) and divides the chamber (40) into two medium regions (A, B) and seals same from one another, wherein the MHD pump (36) is arranged in and / or on the carrier (30) adjacent to the coupling-in structure (34).

Description

[0001] Description

[0002] title

[0003] The invention relates to a coupling device for coupling an electromagnetic wave into a waveguide and a connection system for an integrated circuit.

[0004] State of the art

[0005] Antenna matching devices, also known as antenna tuners, are commonly used in practice to compensate for electronic discrepancies between high-frequency generators, current amplifiers in transmitters, low-noise amplifiers (LNAs), and an antenna system. Such antenna tuners have a wide range of applications in mobile communications and the radio industry. In the automotive sector, phase shifters are also used to dynamically adjust the radiation pattern of radar sensor antennas in driver assistance systems to suit driving situations and environments. These phase shifters can also function as antenna tuners. Antenna systems in vehicles are implemented using striplines in chips that transmit an electromagnetic wave to a waveguide within the antenna system. This waveguide is connected to an antenna, which then transmits and receives the waveguide wave as a radar wave.

[0006] From DE 10 2021 211 512 A1, a waveguide of an antenna system for a vehicle is known, in which a magneto-hydraulic-dynamic (MHD) pump and a non-conductive body are arranged. An electrically conductive liquid medium of the MHD pump can propagate at least partially in the body and influence wave propagation in the waveguide. The waveguide section with the MHD pump and the body serves as a waveguide switch. DE 10 2021 211 512 A1 also describes a waveguide in whose wall a tube filled with an electrically conductive liquid medium is arranged. A non-conductive sphere is arranged in the tube end against the waveguide wall. The MHD pump with the sphere can influence a phase of the waveguide wave in the waveguide.

[0007] Disclosure of the invention

[0008] It is an object of the invention to provide a device for influencing the wave propagation of a waveguide wave, which is structurally small, simple and at the same time effective.

[0009] The problem is solved by a coupling device and an interconnection structure for integrated circuits according to the independent claims. Preferred embodiments are specified in the dependent claims.

[0010] According to a first aspect, a coupling device for coupling an electromagnetic wave into a waveguide is provided, comprising a carrier that is connectable to an integrated circuit and in and / or on which a signal line for the electromagnetic wave is arranged, a coupling structure for coupling the electromagnetic wave from the signal line into the waveguide, wherein the coupling structure is arranged in and / or on the carrier, and a magneto-hydraulic-dynamic (MHD) pump having a chamber filled with an electrically conductive liquid medium, and a non-conductive body arranged in the chamber that divides the chamber into two medium regions and seals them from each other, wherein the MHD pump is arranged in and / or on the carrier adjacent to the coupling structure.

[0011] According to the invention, a coupling device can be provided which can be fed by a stripline (e.g., a microstripline or a coplanar line) of an integrated circuit (e.g., a chip). The coupling device can be connected to the integrated circuit so that an electromagnetic wave from the stripline is transferred via a signal line of the coupling device into a coupling structure of the coupling device and can then be coupled into a waveguide by means of the coupling structure. For this purpose, a carrier of the coupling device, which can be, for example, a rewiring carrier or so-called interposer, can be electronically connected to the integrated circuit via contacts and can include the signal line and the coupling structure.

[0012] To selectively influence a wave propagation characteristic in the waveguide during wave coupling and thus achieve a desired waveguide wave propagation, a medium heat transfer pump (MHD) can be provided in and / or on the support structure. This pump, together with an electrically non-conductive body, can influence wave propagation within the waveguide. The MHD pump can have a chamber in which the body is located. The body can divide the chamber into two media compartments and seal them from each other. Depending on the strength and direction of a Lorentz force generated by the MHD pump on the liquid medium, a force or pressure can act on the body during operation of the coupling device. This can cause the body to change its position within the chamber, thereby influencing the phase relationship of the wave being coupled into the waveguide and / or the waveguide wave already coupled into it.It is understood that the MHD pump can influence the electromagnetic wave before and / or during coupling, and / or it can influence the coupled waveguide wave itself. In particular, the phase of the waveguide wave can be influenced over a wide bandwidth. In this way, the coupling device can also act as a phase shifter. If the waveguide itself is connected to one or more antennas, the coupling device can also serve as an antenna tuner.

[0013] Since the carrier connected to the integrated circuit can itself have a low profile, the coupling device can also be low-profile and easily integrated into an antenna system. Furthermore, influencing wave propagation directly at the coupling device can be an efficient way to selectively influence the wave characteristics of the waveguide wave, such as its phase. In particular, unwanted electronic effects that may arise in the integrated circuit or the carrier can be counteracted before they propagate through the waveguide and potentially into the antenna system.

[0014] The medium can be electrically conductive even at low frequencies to ensure the simple operation of the MHD pump. In one embodiment, the carrier can be designed as a multilayer printed circuit board (PCB) with a recess in its core in which the MHD pump can be located. The MHD pump can be completely surrounded and covered by the carrier or partially located on a carrier surface. This can represent a cost-effective implementation of the coupling device. The recess can define the chamber in such a way that its walls can be formed by the recess. In this case, the recess can form a path for the pump. Alternatively, the chamber can be a separate component that can be placed within the recess.

[0015] In one embodiment, the chamber can be ring-shaped, and the body can be arranged in a section of the chamber adjacent to the coupling structure. This allows for particularly effective manipulation of wave propagation, since the body is located in close proximity to the coupling structure and the waveguide, and even the smallest electrical changes in the liquid medium can have a maximum effect on the electromagnetic wave or the waveguide wave.

[0016] The chamber can be a closed chamber within and / or on the carrier, so that the liquid medium is introduced into the chamber at the factory and does not need to be added or removed during operation. Furthermore, this design can prevent a defective medium supply line from causing a short circuit in the coupling device.

[0017] In one embodiment, the coupling structure can comprise a planar element, for example, a plate, and the annular chamber and the planar element can each have rectangular cross-sections when viewed from above on the support. One side of the rectangular cross-section of the chamber, which can be associated with the section, can be substantially parallel to one side of the rectangular cross-section of the planar element. The rectangular shape of the chamber and the coupling element, in conjunction with the substantially parallel relative position of the side, and thus the section, of the rectangular chamber and the side of the coupling element, enables simple and space-saving integration of the MHD pump and the coupling structure, for example, in printed circuit board technology.In one embodiment, the long side of the rectangular cross-section of the chamber can be one side, and the short side of the rectangular cross-section of the planar element can be one side. The long side of the chamber can be longer than the short side of the planar element. In other words, the chamber and the element, respectively, can be flat or planar when viewed from above on the support, forming rectangles with two long sides and two short sides. This arrangement can achieve a constant influence on the wave coupling along the entire length of the planar element.

[0018] In particular, the coupling structure can be arranged centrally along the longitudinal direction of the chamber section.

[0019] In one embodiment, the body can be movably positioned within the chamber in the section adjacent to the coupling structure and, in particular, adjacent to the planar element. This provides an additional degree of freedom for influencing the electromagnetic wave to be coupled in or the waveguide wave, since the body can be placed at different locations within the section, thus allowing the electromagnetic effect on the coupling structure and the waveguide to be adjusted depending on the body's position.

[0020] In particular, the body can be designed as a piston or as part of a piston that can move along its section. The shape of the body or piston can be chosen depending on the material of the body or piston, the desired sealing effect, and / or the desired mobility within the chamber. The greater the difference between the conductivity of the body and the conductivity of the medium, the shorter the body and / or the smaller its diameter can be. To be movable yet still provide a sufficient seal, the body can be designed as a cuboid with rounded corners. The body and / or a chamber wall (for example, the milled recess) can be coated.

[0021] In one embodiment, the MHD pump can have two magnets and two electrical contacts arranged on a further section of the chamber extending away from the coupling structure. This section and the further section can run parallel to each other. This reduces the influence of the magnets and the electrical contacts of the MHD pump on the wave coupling.

[0022] The two magnets can, for example, be permanent magnets. Alternatively, two electromagnets, possibly with a soft iron core, can be used instead of permanent magnets. Using both types of magnets can enable simple and compact integration of the components into or onto the substrate.

[0023] In one embodiment, the two magnets can be planar and arranged on both sides of the further section of the rectangular chamber in and / or on the support. The two electrical contacts can be arranged at the edges of the further section. For example, the contacts can be designed as current poles, which are arranged as segments of the support (in particular the printed circuit board) on outer surfaces of the chamber, both of which can face one top surface of the support or each of which can face a different top surface of the support. Alternatively, the contacts can be implemented as a metallization of an outer wall of the two edge regions of the chamber. It is also possible for the contacts to be arranged at corners of the chamber that can delimit the further section, i.e., at an edge region of the section and at an edge region of a section of the chamber extending transversely to the section.In this case, the contacts can also be implemented as sub-segments of the carrier or as metallization.

[0024] The magnets and / or contacts can be located within a substrate (especially the core of the printed circuit board). A power source for the electrical contacts, and in particular the circuit board segments that form the contacts, can be arranged on the substrate (especially the circuit board) and electrically coupled to the contacts via vias, etc. The power source can be an alternating current source, thus enabling movement of the body in opposite directions.

[0025] In one embodiment, the non-conductive body can be made of plastic, in particular polyethylene, and / or ceramic. This type of material allows the body to function as a phase shifter for the phase of the electromagnetic wave or the waveguide wave. Furthermore, this material can be chemically resistant to the medium.

[0026] In one embodiment, the liquid medium may comprise a eutectic compound of gallium, indium and tin, and in particular may be the metallic melt known under the brand name Galistan®.

[0027] In particular, the medium and the body may have different properties with regard to their respective conductivity, permittivity and / or permeability.

[0028] In one embodiment, the coupling device can further comprise a control unit arranged in and / or on the carrier for regulating a current that can be applied to the MHD pump (and in particular to the contacts), and in particular for controlling the MHD pump. The control unit can be configured to use a transfer function (in particular from the integrated circuit) through the coupling device (in particular up to the waveguide). The transfer function can be measurable by means of an observation variable associated with the waveguide, by means of an observation variable associated with the carrier, and / or by means of an observation variable associated with the integrated circuit, for example, an output reflection coefficient of the integrated circuit. This integrated current control can enable feedback control for the regulation of the MHD pump and thus also for its control.

[0029] In the control loop for the MHD pump (especially for the position of the body within the section), a current density and / or current direction of the current applied to the electrical contacts can serve as a manipulated variable. A change in the body's position within the section due to the current applied to the contacts can determine a change in the transfer characteristics of the wave coupled from the coupling structure to the waveguide. The transfer function, which describes the behavior of the coupling device, can therefore be set and also monitored or measured using various auxiliary control output variables. Such a control output variable or observation variable can, for example, be assigned to the waveguide and be measurable in or on the waveguide. It can also be assigned to the carrier and optionally be measurable in or on the carrier using one or more directional couplers and / or complex-valued power meters.Another observation parameter can be assigned to the integrated circuit more cost-effectively and represent an output reflection coefficient S22, which can also be measured using one or more directional couplers in or on the circuit. Directional couplers suitable for measuring the respective observation parameter can, for example, be constructed according to DE 10 2004 021 535 A1.

[0030] The MHD pump, magnets, contacts, power source, and / or control unit can be pre-assembled as separate components or embedded within a carrier (particularly in the milled recess of the circuit board). Alternatively, the chamber of the MHD pump can be formed by the carrier's interior (particularly by the milled recess), and the magnets, contacts, power source, and / or control unit can be structured within or on the carrier. The walls of the MHD pump can be coated accordingly.

[0031] According to a second aspect, an interconnection system for integrated circuits, in particular a Land Grid Array (LGA) package or Ball Grid Array (BGA), is provided, comprising an integrated circuit (for example, in the form of one or more high-frequency chips) and a coupling device according to the first aspect. The integrated circuit can, in particular, be provided with a microstrip line or coplanar line that feeds the coupling device, and thus the waveguide, with the electromagnetic wave. The coupling device can be part of the interposer carrier(s), which can be arranged on the integrated circuit and electrically connected to one or more vias. The signal line in or on the carrier can extend from a contact of the integrated circuit to the coupling structure, which can be designed, for example, as a bracket and / or planar element.

[0032] It is understood that the coupling device described above can be used not only with a waveguide but also with other waveguides, such as a microstrip waveguide. Brief description of the drawings

[0033] Preferred embodiments of the present invention are explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. These show:

[0034] Fig. 1 shows a connection system for integrated circuits according to an embodiment and a waveguide;

[0035] Fig. 2 shows the connection system in Fig. 1 in cross-section along a line 11 in Fig. 1;

[0036] Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 show a coupling device according to an embodiment that is integrated into the connection system in Fig. 1;

[0037] Fig. 5 shows a support for the coupling device in Figs. 3 and 4;

[0038] Figs. 6A-6C show a section of a chamber and a body of the coupling device in Figs. 3 to 5 in three different operating situations;

[0039] Fig. 7 shows a phase of an electromagnetic wave for the three different positions of the body in section shown in Fig. 6A-6C;

[0040] Figs. 8A, 8B show an absolute electric field distribution in a waveguide for a coupling device without and with an MHD pump, respectively; and

[0041] Fig. 9 shows a control method for regulating the current of the MHD pump in Figs. 3 to 6C during operation of the coupling device.

[0042] Figure 1 shows an interconnection system 10 for integrated circuits according to an exemplary embodiment in the form of an LGA package, on which a waveguide 12 is soldered by means of solder contacts 14. For clarity, only one contact 14 is labelled. The LGA package 10 comprises an integrated circuit 20, which includes one or more integrated high-frequency circuit chips encapsulated in a potting compound, and an coupling device 22 according to an exemplary embodiment, which is laminated onto the chip potting compound. The coupling device 22 has a carrier 30, a so-called rewiring carrier or interposer, in or on which a signal line 32, a coupling structure 34 for coupling an electromagnetic wave into the waveguide 12, and an MHD pump 36 are arranged.

[0043] A microstrip line or a coplanar line, both designated with the reference numeral 37, runs in or on the chips 20. The strip line 37 is electronically connected to the signal line 32 via contacts. The signal line 32 is configured to receive a high-frequency electromagnetic wave generated in the chips 20 and transmit it to the coupling structure 34. For this purpose, the coupling structure 34 has a metal bracket 38 and a planar element 39, here a metal plate, extending parallel to the surface of the carrier 30. The plate has a rectangular cross-section when viewed from above on the carrier 30 and allows the electromagnetic wave to be transmitted to the waveguide 12. The bracket 38 holds the plate 39 in position and makes contact with it along its transverse extent.

[0044] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the MHD pump 36 has a closed chamber 40, two permanent magnets 42a, 42b, and two electrical contacts 44a, 44b. Electromagnets can also be used instead of the permanent magnets 42a, 42b. The chamber 40 is annular with a rectangular cross-section when viewed from above on the support 30. Two long sides 46a, 46b of the cross-section, and thus corresponding long sections 48a, 48b of the chamber 40, run essentially parallel to a short side 50a, 50b of the plate 39. Two short sides 52a, 52b of the chamber cross-section, and thus short sections 54a, 54b of the chamber 40, connect the two long sides 46a, 46b of the chamber 40 at right angles, so that they run essentially parallel to long sides 56a, 56b of the plate 39. The long side 46a of the cross-section, or the long section 48a of the chamber 40, is longer than the short side 50a of the plate 39.Plate 39 is arranged centrally along one length of section 48a with respect to section 48a.

[0045] The two permanent magnets 42a, 42b are arranged on both sides of section 48b, which points away from plate 39. The two electrical contacts 44a, 44b are provided on the upper surface of section 48b of chamber 40, facing the top surface of the carrier 30, at the edge regions where the short sections 54a, 54b meet the long section 48b. Alternatively, both contacts 44a, 44b can be located on the underside of section 48b, facing the other top surface of the carrier, in its edge regions adjacent to the short sections 54a, 54b. It is also possible for one contact 44a, 44b to be located on the upper surface and one on the underside at the edge regions. The electrical contacts 44a, 44b can be connected to an alternating current source arranged on the carrier 30.

[0046] Figure 5 shows an implementation of the carrier 30 using printed circuit board technology. The carrier is designed as a multilayer printed circuit board 60, which, for example, has four layers 62a-62d forming the rewiring layers of the printed circuit board 60. A recess 66 is milled into a printed circuit board core 64, forming the chamber 40. The recess also has a separate area (not shown) for the permanent magnets 42a, 42b. One surface of the recess 66 is coated in the area of ​​the chamber 40. The contacts 44a, 44b are designed as current poles, which are sub-segments of the rewiring layer 62b. Dashed areas 68a, 68b show the further areas of the rewiring layer 62c in which the contacts can be placed as described above. The power source for contacts 44a, 44b, now designated with reference numeral 70, is located on the upper layer 62a.

[0047] Referring again to Figures 3 and 4, a non-conductive body 80 in the form of a cuboid piston with rounded corners, which is also coated, is located in section 48a of chamber 40, adjacent to the plate 39. The body 80 divides and seals the interior of section 48a of chamber 40 into two medium compartments A and B. The body 80 is made of a dielectric material, for example, polyethylene or ceramic. A liquid medium 82, which is electrically conductive even at low frequencies, for example, a molten metal known under the brand name Galistan®, is contained within chamber 40. The medium 82 is part of the MHD pump 36. As shown in Figures 6A-6C, the body 80 is movable along section 48a to different positions, so that the medium compartments A and B in section 48a have different volumes.The coupling device 22 also includes a control unit 86 for regulating the current density and direction of the current from the power source 70, which can be applied to the contacts 44a, 44b (Fig. 5). Like the power source 70, the control unit 86 is arranged on the circuit board 60. It can also be implemented as a sub-segment in one of the layers 62b, 62b. The control unit 86 uses a transfer function that describes the transfer behavior of the coupling device 22 in the system of chips 20, carrier 30, and waveguide 12. An auxiliary observation parameter of the control unit 86 is an output reflection factor S22 of the chips 20, which can be used to perform setpoint-actual current control and thus control the MHD pump 36. The output reflection factor can be measured, for example, using directional couplers and complex power amplifiers in one or more of the chips 20.Alternatively, an auxiliary observation parameter in the waveguide 12 or an auxiliary observation parameter in the carrier 30 can be used. The latter can be measured, for example, by means of directional couplers and complex power amplifiers that are provided in and / or on the carrier 30. The directional couplers and power amplifiers in the carrier 30 can be integrated in the control unit 86.

[0048] During operation of the coupling device 22, an electromagnetic wave is generated in the chips 20, which is guided via the microstrip line or coplanar line 37 in the chips 20 into the signal line 32 of the carrier 30. The electromagnetic wave is guided via the bracket 38 into the plate 39, and the plate 39 couples the wave into the waveguide 12. To set a desired phase of the coupled waveguide wave or the distribution of the electric field of the waveguide wave in the waveguide 12, the body 80 is moved to a specific position within section 48a of chamber 40. For this purpose, an electric field is generated by applying a current to the contacts 44a, 44b using the current source 70. This electric field, together with the perpendicular magnetic field generated by the two permanent magnets 42a, 42b, generates a Lorentz force that acts on the conductive liquid medium 82 in the chamber 40. A force is thus exerted.Pressure is generated on the body 80 until it reaches its desired position. In this way, the electric field in the waveguide 12 is changed, thus altering the phase of the waveguide wave. This is illustrated in Fig. 7, which shows a scattering parameter, the S-parameter, (measured in degrees) versus a frequency of the voltage in the chips 20 (measured in gigahertz). Depending on the body's position in section 48a, the phase shift can be influenced by the frequency. A curve 90a corresponds to the position of the body 80 in Fig. 6A, a curve 90b to the position of the body 80 in Fig. 6B, and a curve 90c to the position of the body 80 in Fig. 6C. The further the body 80 is displaced from the central position (Fig. 6B), the larger the S-parameter. If the coupling device 22 is to operate as a continuous phase shifter for the waveguide 12, the MHD pump 36 is operated continuously.It is also possible that the MHD pump 36 is only operated briefly and the power source 70 is switched on for a short time and then switched off again.

[0049] Figures 8A and 8B show the absolute electric field distribution in the region of the transition between the coupling device 22 and the waveguide 12 in the case where neither the MHD pump 36 nor the body 80, or both, are present. As shown in Figure 8B, the waveguide wave with the MHD pump 36 and the body 80, which in the example shown is located outside the side of the plate 39 in section 48a of the chamber 40, is forced into the wall region of the waveguide 12.

[0050] During the operation of the coupling device 22, the current density and direction of the current from the power source 70, which supplies the contacts 44a, 44b, can be controlled by the control unit 86. In a first step S1 of the procedure shown in Fig. 9, the transfer function used in the control unit 86, which employs an output reflection factor S22 of the chips 20, can specify a setpoint. This can be adjusted to the corresponding setpoint for the current density and direction in the MHD pump 36 in a second procedure step S2. This adjustment can be achieved by calibrating the transfer function and the current. In this step S2, the position of the body 80 in the chamber 40 is changed, which in turn alters the transfer function. In a further procedure step S3, the current of the MHD pump 36 is measured as an actual value.In a further process step S4, the output reflection factor S22 is measured using the directional couplers and the complex-valued power meters in or on the chips 20. In a process step S5, the actual value of the transfer function corresponding to the measured output reflection factor is calculated. In a further process step S6, a comparison is made between the desired setpoint of the transfer function and the calculated actual value of the transfer function, so that the difference between the two values ​​is adjusted. In a process step S7, the desired value for the current density and current direction is set as a manipulated variable based on the actual value of the current measured in step S3 and the difference determined in step S6. For this purpose, in step S7, the difference is converted into a corresponding setpoint value for the current of the MHD pump 36 and then compared with the measured actual value of the current.

[0051] This involves using the calibration process, which relates the transfer function and the current to each other. A corresponding differential control signal is then used again in step S2 to adjust the current density and current direction.

Claims

Claims 1. Coupling device (22) for coupling an electromagnetic wave into a waveguide (12), comprising: - a carrier (30) which can be connected to an integrated circuit (20) and in and / or on which a signal line (36) for the electromagnetic wave is arranged, - a coupling structure (34) for coupling the electromagnetic wave from the signal line (36) into the waveguide (12), wherein the coupling structure (34) is arranged in and / or on the support (30), and - a magneto-hydraulic-dynamic (MHD) pump (36) comprising a chamber (40) filled with an electrically conductive liquid medium (82), and - a non-conductive body (80) arranged in the chamber (40) which divides the chamber (40) into two medium areas (A, B) and seals them from each other, wherein the MHD pump (36) is arranged in and / or on the support (30) adjacent to the coupling structure (34).

2. Coupling device (22) according to claim 1, wherein the carrier (30) is designed as a multilayer printed circuit board (60) which has a milled recess (66) in a printed circuit board core (64) in which the MHD pump (36) is arranged.

3. Coupling device (22) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the chamber (40) is annular and the body (60) is arranged in a section (48a) of the chamber (40) adjacent to the coupling structure (34).

4. Coupling device (22) according to claim 3, wherein the coupling structure (34) comprises a planar element (39), wherein the annular chamber (40) and the planar element (39) each have rectangular cross-sections when viewed from above on the support (30) and one side (46a) of the rectangular cross-section of the chamber (40), which is associated with the section (48a), in the essentially runs parallel to one side (50a) of the rectangular cross-section of the planar element (39).

5. Coupling device (22) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the body (82) is movably designed in the section (48a) which is arranged adjacent to the coupling structure (34).

6. Coupling device (22) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the MHD pump (36) has two magnets (42a, 42b) and two electrical contacts (44a, 44b) arranged on a further section (48b) of the chamber (40) pointing away from the coupling structure (34).

7. Coupling device (22) according to claim 6, wherein the two magnets (42a, 42b) are planar and are arranged on both sides of the further section (48b) of the chamber (40) in and / or on the support (30) and the two electrical contacts (44a, 44b) are arranged at edge regions of the further section (48b).

8. Coupling device (22) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the non-conductive body (80) comprises plastic, in particular polyethylene, and / or ceramic and / or wherein the liquid medium (82) comprises a eutectic compound of gallium, indium and tin, in particular Galistan®.

9. Coupling device (22) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the coupling device (22) further comprises a control unit (86) arranged in and / or on the carrier (30) for controlling a current with which the MHD pump (36) can be supplied, wherein the control unit (86) is configured to use a transfer function through the coupling device (22) which is measurable by means of an observation quantity associated with the waveguide (12), by means of an observation quantity associated with the carrier (30) and / or by means of an observation quantity associated with the integrated circuit (12), in particular an output reflection factor of the integrated circuit (12).

10. Interconnection system (10) for integrated circuits, in particular a Land Grid Array (LGA) package or Ball Grid Array (BGA) which includes an integrated circuit (20) and a coupling device (22) according to one of the preceding claims.

Images